Elden Ring DLC: Your Definitive Guide to the Shadow of the Erdtree
Introduction: The Tarnished’s New Calling
The Lands Between are vast, but the ambition of the Tarnished is vaster. Since its 2022 debut, Elden Ring has redefined the action RPG landscape, offering unparalleled freedom, challenge, and dense lore. Now, after years of anticipation, FromSoftware has delivered its monumental single story expansion: Shadow of the Erdtree (SotE).
This isn’t merely an update; it is an epic new chapter. Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree takes players far beyond the familiar, plunging us into the Land of Shadow—a realm steeped in hidden history, ruled by the shadowy figure of Messmer the Impaler, and haunted by the legacy of the Empyrean Miquella.
For veterans and new players alike, navigating this colossal Elden Ring DLC requires preparation, knowledge, and perhaps a little bit of strategic planning. This definitive guide will serve as your beacon, covering everything from the precise SotE release date and essential entry requirements to the deepest Miquella lore, the terrifying new bosses, and the revolutionary Elden Ring DLC weapons you’ll uncover.
Whether you’re struggling to locate the Mohgwyn Palace DLC entrance or optimizing your build for the grueling new challenge, we have the grounded, fact-checked information you need to walk the path of Miquella and confront the secrets hidden beneath the blackened boughs of the Erdtree.
The Essentials: Release Date, Price, and Editions
Before strapping on your Greatsword, the fundamental logistical questions must be answered. When can you play, and how much will it cost to step into the Land of Shadow?
SotE Release Date and Availability
The official SotE release date was June 21, 2024. The expansion launched simultaneously worldwide across all supported platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC (via Steam). Given the scale of this Elden Ring story expansion, many players dedicated full weeks just to scratching the surface of the new content.
Erdtree DLC Price and Editions
The Erdtree DLC price is set at a premium reflecting its sheer size—a standard for major FromSoftware expansions. Typically, the expansion is priced around $39.99 USD / £34.99 GBP.
For dedicated fans and collectors, the Shadow of the Erdtree collectors edition offered various premium physical goods, often including a statue of Messmer the Impaler, an art book, and a digital soundtrack. Given the massive nature of this content drop, purchasing the base game bundled with the DLC, known as the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Edition, became a popular option for newcomers.
The Elden Ring DLC download size is substantial, comparable to a full AAA title patch, often exceeding 15 GB, making preload essential for launch day players. Ensure you have the latest Elden Ring update installed before attempting to download the expansion.
Mandatory Prerequisites: How to Start Elden Ring DLC
This is the most crucial section for any Tarnished eager to dive in. Unlike some previous FromSoftware DLCs that offered immediate access, Shadow of the Erdtree mandates that players meet two very specific, high-level requirements. Without completing both steps, the entry point will remain inert.
Step 1: Defeat Starscourge Radahn
The first mandatory boss is Starscourge Radahn, located in Caelid. This is a key checkpoint required for the progression of the base game, but it serves a dual purpose here: allowing access to the next requirement.
Step 2: Defeat Mohg, Lord of Blood
The final, non-negotiable requirement is the defeat of Mohg, Lord of Blood. Mohg guards the entrance to the Land of Shadow.
Locating the Mohgwyn Palace DLC Entrance
To reach Mohg, players must travel to the hidden region of Mohgwyn Palace. There are two primary ways to get there:
- Late-Game Teleportation: Use the Sending Gate found in the Consecrated Snowfield. This requires acquiring both halves of the Haligtree Secret Medallion.
- Early-Game Access (The White Mask Varre Questline): This is the more common and faster method.
- Find White Mask Varre at the first site of grace in Limgrave, then after Godrick’s defeat, he moves to the Rose Church in Liurnia.
- Complete his tasks, which involve invading other players (even if you fail the invasions) and using the Pureblood Knight’s Medal.
- Using the medal teleports you directly to Mohgwyn Palace.
Once Mohg, Lord of Blood, is defeated, the Mohgwyn Palace DLC entrance opens. You must interact with the arm of the Empyrean Miquella at the site of grace in Mohg’s boss room.
Pro Tip: Many players rush to Mohg just for the DLC. Be warned, Mohg is an extremely tough optional boss, even for high-level characters. Mastering his bloodflame attacks and the Nihil mechanic is paramount.
Preparing for the Land of Shadow: Level and Builds
The Lands Between prepared you, but the Land of Shadow demands specialization. FromSoftware has stated that the difficulty of the Elden Ring story expansion is scaled to challenge players who have completed most of the base game’s optional content.
What Level for Shadow of the Erdtree?
While there is no fixed minimum level coded into the game, based on the difficulty spike observed in the DLC, the consensus is:
- Recommended Minimum Level: 120–150
- Optimal Level: 150+ (Especially for NG+ cycles)
The developers implemented a unique Elden Ring gameplay change with the introduction of Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes. These items grant a DLC-specific scaling boost to your damage output and damage resistance, as well as strengthening your Spirit Ashes, respectively. This system effectively soft-resets the power curve, meaning even over-leveled characters (Level 200+) cannot simply steamroll the early DLC bosses.
Best Builds for Erdtree DLC
The Land of Shadow rewards adaptability and resilience. Given the aggressive, often rapid, attacks of the new enemies and the new Elden Ring bosses, here are some insights into the best builds for Erdtree DLC:
| Build Archetype | Key Stats/Weapons | Why it Excels in SotE |
|---|---|---|
| Faith/Arcane Dragon Cultist | Sacred Seal, Mohgwyn’s Sacred Spear, Dragon Communion Seal. | Powerful ranged Incantations (Lightning/Fire) combined with high Bleed application, which remains effective against many late-game enemies. |
| Dex/Int Spellblade | Moonveil Katana, Dark Moon Greatsword, Carian Regal Scepter. | Fast, ranged magical damage. High mobility and the ability to stagger with powerful sorceries like Comet Azur (for specific boss phases). |
| Strength Tank | Colossal Weapons, Greatshields, Heavy Armor. | High Poise and Vigor are necessary to survive the massive burst damage from bosses like Messmer the Impaler. Colossal weapons benefit from the high damage scaling against tough targets. |
| Pure Arcane Bleed Specialist | Rivers of Blood, Occult Scythes. | While some bosses are resistant, the density of smaller, high-health enemies makes reliable status effects vital for clearing zones efficiently. |
Remember to heavily invest in Vigor (at least 60) and use your Scadutree Fragments immediately upon finding them to increase your damage mitigation and survivability within the DLC zone.
The Narrative Core: Miquella, Messmer, and the Land of Shadow Lore
The Elden Ring story expansion is fundamentally built around the fate of Miquella, the twin brother of Malenia, and the journey he undertook into the mysterious region known as the Land of Shadow.
Miquella Lore: The Unalloyed
Miquella the Kind, an Empyrean cursed with eternal childhood, sought to cure his sister Malenia of her Scarlet Rot. His ultimate plan was to create an alternative to the Golden Order—the Unalloyed Gold. This pursuit led him to slumber within the cocoon we find in Mohgwyn Palace.
The Shadow of the Erdtree narrative follows Miquella’s physical path, guided by the remnants of his followers. The player is literally “walking in Miquella’s footsteps,” exploring the land where the Golden Order first began to crumble. The Land of Shadow is where Queen Marika first arrived and where the primary history of the Lands Between was erased or, as some Shadow of the Erdtree lore theories suggest, sealed. The very Erdtree of this land has been scorched black, symbolizing a failed or forgotten beginning.
Messmer the Impaler: The New Antagonist
Every major FromSoftware title needs an iconic villain, and Messmer the Impaler steps into this role with chilling authority. Revealed as potentially another child of Marika, Messmer is shown wielding immense, serpent-like fire and acting as the jailer or ruler of the Land of Shadow.
His visual design—mixing royal armor with burning motifs and a terrifying visage—suggests a kinship with the other demigods, yet one who has been entirely excluded from the major historical texts. His central role is hinted at through promotional materials, suggesting he may be the one who “burned” the original Land of Shadow, perhaps at the behest of Marika or some even older entity.
Messmer is likely one of the most challenging new Elden Ring bosses, requiring players to master dodge timings and position in tight arenas. Defeating him promises huge lore revelations about Marika’s family and the establishment of the Golden Order itself.
The Role of the Land of Shadow
The Land of Shadow is presented as a mirror to the Lands Between, a place overshadowed by the main Erdtree, where the very concept of grace was first established and then corrupted or abandoned. The map size is staggering, estimated to be roughly equivalent to Limgrave, Liurnia, and Caelid combined, offering dozens of new dungeons, legacy areas, and secrets. It is a fully realized, new world, reinforcing that this is a substantial Elden Ring story expansion, not just a small add-on.
[Related: unlocking-new-realities-ai-spatial-computing/]
New Content Deep Dive: Weapons, Ashes, and Gameplay Changes
FromSoftware always uses DLC to expand the game’s combat sandbox, and Shadow of the Erdtree is no exception. It introduces a massive influx of FromSoftware new content, ensuring that even players with hundreds of hours will have completely new ways to approach combat.
Elden Ring DLC Weapons and Armor
The most exciting addition is not just new weapons, but new weapon types. SotE introduces eight new core weapon categories, fundamentally changing the metagame:
- Reverse-Grip Katanas/Light Swords: Focus on quick, consecutive slashes and high-mobility attacks.
- Great Katanas: Larger, slower katanas that bridge the gap between normal katanas and colossal weapons, often featuring unique Ash of War abilities.
- Throwing Weapons (e.g., Throwing Daggers): A dedicated slot for weapons that can be thrown and retrieved, integrating a new ranged option for melee builds.
- Hand-to-Hand Arts: Think martial arts. Fast, close-range combat focused on punching and kicking, often using Dexterity or Strength/Faith scaling.
This massive infusion of Elden Ring DLC weapons allows for deep re-speccing and experimentation. It is recommended that players explore the Land of Shadow thoroughly to find the early examples of these new classes, as they can significantly impact your progression through the DLC.
New Spirit Ashes and Combat Dynamics
In addition to the Scadutree Fragment scaling for existing Spirit Ashes, the DLC introduces new spirit ashes Elden Ring players can acquire, many tied to the new enemies encountered in the Land of Shadow. These new summons are essential for drawing boss aggro and dealing auxiliary damage, given the high health pools of the new Elden Ring bosses.
The core Elden Ring gameplay changes in the DLC focus heavily on verticality and stealth. The Erdtree map size is not only broad but incredibly tall, encouraging exploration of cliffsides, ruins, and hidden paths that often yield Scadutree Fragments.
[Related: mastering-ai-workflow-productivity-automation/]
The New Pantheon of Bosses
While Mohg and Radahn were the gates, the inhabitants of the Land of Shadow are the true challenges. Reports confirm over a dozen major bosses, rivaling the sheer density of the base game’s optional content.
Beyond Messmer the Impaler, notable fights include:
- Commander Gaius: A returning style of field boss, but with enhanced mounted combat mechanics.
- Rellana, Twin Moon Knight: Likely a fast-paced dual magic/physical boss, testing both reaction speed and elemental resistance.
- The Divine Beast Dancing Lion: A massive, grotesque creature that showcases FromSoftware’s dedication to spectacle.
The DLC culminates in a powerful sequence of high-stakes encounters, including what is frequently referred to as the true Elden Ring final boss DLC. This final encounter promises to tie together the threads of Miquella, Marika, and the primordial history of the world.
Technical Deep Dive: Performance, Patches, and Download
Given the massive scale of the content, technical stability is paramount for a smooth launch experience.
Elden Ring Update and Performance Patch
The launch of Shadow of the Erdtree coincided with a major Elden Ring update (Patch 1.12 or similar), which laid the foundation for the DLC content, including the necessary game balance adjustments and user interface elements for the Scadutree Fragment mechanic.
A key focus of this accompanying update was the Elden Ring performance patch. While the base game already ran well, the DLC’s graphical intensity and density of effects (especially fire and massive world pieces) required optimization. Players on PC and console saw improvements in shader compilation and frame rate stability, though the demanding nature of the new environments still pushed hardware limits.
How Long is Shadow of the Erdtree?
For those wondering how long is Shadow of the Erdtree, the answer varies significantly based on playstyle and experience, but general estimates place it among the longest single DLCs in recent history:
- Main Storyline (Speedrun/Minimalist): 25–35 hours
- Completionist (All Dungeons, Scadutree Fragments, and Optional Bosses): 60–80+ hours
The sheer Erdtree map size and the complexity of the hidden dungeons contribute to this extraordinary length, making the Erdtree DLC price feel entirely justified by the sheer volume of content.
Initial Reception and Legacy: The Shadow of the Erdtree Review
The critical consensus upon launch was overwhelmingly positive, solidifying its place as one of the best video game expansions ever made. The initial Shadow of the Erdtree review scores mirrored, and in some cases exceeded, the original game’s perfect ratings.
Why SotE Succeeded
The expansion was praised for several key reasons:
- Innovative Difficulty Curve: The implementation of the Scadutree Fragment system addressed the issue of overpowered players, ensuring that the challenge remained high regardless of level.
- Stunning World Design: The Land of Shadow offered a darker, more melancholic aesthetic than the base game, utilizing verticality and unique biomes that felt fresh and deeply integrated with the lore.
- Compelling Narrative: The deep dive into Miquella lore and the surprising revelations about the history of the Erdtree satisfied years of fan speculation, providing a richly layered plot that felt essential, not tacked on.
- Refined Combat: The new weapon categories and enemy movesets forced players out of established routines, revitalizing the combat loop.
Ultimately, the question, is Shadow of the Erdtree a sequel, is answered emphatically: no, it is a massive Elden Ring story expansion that functions as an entire second half to the original narrative, exploring the deepest secrets of the world that were only hinted at previously. The scope of this DLC ensures Elden Ring remains a relevant and evolving masterwork for years to come.
Conclusion: Embracing the Shade
The Elden Ring DLC: Shadow of the Erdtree represents a colossal expansion of an already titanic game. It is a journey that demands everything from the Tarnished—preparation, mastery of combat, a deep understanding of the requirements (defeating Mohg and Radahn), and the willingness to learn new mechanics like the crucial Scadutree Fragment system.
By preparing your character (aiming for Level 150+), locating the Mohgwyn Palace DLC entrance, and embracing the mystery of Miquella lore and the threat of Messmer the Impaler, you are ready to confront the secrets of the Land of Shadow. Whether you are chasing Elden Ring DLC trophies or simply seeking the deepest truths of the Lands Between, this expansion delivers the scale and quality that only FromSoftware can achieve. Go forth, Tarnished, and uncover the shadows that the Erdtree once hid.
FAQs (People Also Ask)
Q1. Is Shadow of the Erdtree included in the Elden Ring base game?
No, Shadow of the Erdtree is a separate, paid downloadable content (Elden Ring DLC) expansion. It must be purchased separately from the base game, although it is often sold bundled with the base game in the Shadow of the Erdtree Edition.
Q2. How do I access the Land of Shadow in Elden Ring?
To access the Land of Shadow, players must defeat two mandatory base game bosses: Starscourge Radahn (in Caelid) and Mohg, Lord of Blood (in Mohgwyn Palace). Once both are defeated, you interact with Miquella’s cocoon in Mohg’s boss arena (the Mohgwyn Palace DLC entrance).
Q3. What is the recommended level for Shadow of the Erdtree?
Most players find the challenging difficulty of the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree content is best approached around Level 120–150. The DLC introduces a unique scaling system using Scadutree Fragments that limits over-leveling, so preparation and specific build optimization are more important than excessive level grinding.
Q4. Who is Messmer the Impaler, and what is his role in the DLC?
Messmer the Impaler is the central antagonist and one of the new Elden Ring bosses in the DLC. He is strongly implied to be another child of Queen Marika, perhaps one exiled or forgotten. He is the ruler of the Land of Shadow and a key figure in the historical events surrounding Miquella’s journey.
Q5. Are there new weapons and armor types in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC?
Yes, the Elden Ring DLC weapons include several entirely new weapon categories, such as Reverse-Grip Katanas, Great Katanas, and dedicated Hand-to-Hand martial arts weapons. This provides significant Elden Ring gameplay changes and build versatility.
Q6. What is the approximate download size for the Elden Ring DLC?
The Elden Ring DLC download size is substantial, generally ranging from 15 GB to 20 GB, depending on the platform. Players should ensure they have sufficient space and download the latest accompanying Elden Ring update for stability.
Q7. Does the DLC add an Elden Ring final boss DLC?
Yes. While Messmer the Impaler is a critical boss, the Elden Ring story expansion culminates in a distinct, extremely challenging final encounter that ties into the overarching narrative of Miquella and Marika’s past, effectively serving as a true Elden Ring final boss DLC.
Q8. What are Scadutree Fragments?
Scadutree Fragments are a new collectible item introduced specifically for the Shadow of the Erdtree content. Collecting and using these fragments at Sites of Grace permanently increases your character’s damage output and damage resistance only within the Land of Shadow, acting as a necessary mechanic to tackle the DLC’s difficulty.